Martini Fashion Night Out - Top Pick Accessories

BarBasics-in-a-Box

Whether you prefer shaken or stirred - vodka or gin - Dirty, Apple, Chocolate or Cosmopolitan, it's a good idea to add a some serving savoir-faire to your pour of this classic cocktail.  In light of this month's Fashion Night Out celebrations, we thought a similar focus on how to fashionably accessorize your martini could be useful.

We're sharing some of our staff's top pick fashion accessories offering ideas to dress up that martini with a little savvy style tailored to your personal interests...

Let's start with the basic bar tools needed (aside from your choice of alcohol, ice and related ingredients).

Martini Bar Tools

Here are the 6 tools that will ensure martini makers of all styles are well-equipped:

• Shaker (minimum 11 oz. can be stainless steel or glass)
• Pitcher
• Cocktail spoon
• Jigger or Shot Glass
• Knife
• Glasses - martini or rocks (DOF)

Option 1 - Shaken, not Stirred

If your preference is shaken, not stirred, here are a few fashionable options to ensure you shake it up with style.

"Sterling Cooper and You” How to Throw a 1960s Mad Men Inspired Party

We have the great pleasure of introducing a very special guest contributor.  Embodying the perfect mix of class, savvy & sass, Auntie Carrie's Speakeasy offers a spot-on perspective about entertaining.  Read on to enjoy her take on the quintessential 1960s "Mad Men" themed party.

Unless you are like Auntie and I, who run our own Speak Easy, (no address given. So please don’t ask), the theme of 1920s is so done. But what’s sexy right now? An equally inebriating decade: the 1960s. Throwing a 1960s Mad Men themed party will make you the talk of the town. This is how Auntie Carrie’s Speak Easy would do it: Of course, our simple “How to a Throw Party” rules apply.

1. The Classic Cocktail: Familiarize yourself with the drinks of the times. Unless you have a head for bartending, just learn how to make three Classics (proportions courtesy of Drinks Mixer. We would suggest a Martini, Tom Collins and a Manhattan. The Mad Men Site has a wonderful collection of drinks from the period. However, I take issue with their listing vodka as the primary ingredient in the Martini. Do have vodka as an option but do be prepared to make a classic Martini. Also, make sure to have a healthy supply of scotch, champagne, garnishes (cherries, lemons, straws, umbrellas, plastic monkeys) and a top notch looking bar.

Martini

75ml (or approx 2+ 1/2 oz) Gin

15ml (or approx 1/4 oz) Dry Vermouth

1 green olive OR a twist of lemon peel

Tom Collins

2 oz gin

1 oz lemon juice

1 tsp superfine sugar

3 oz club soda

1 maraschino cherry

1 slice orange

Manhattan

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey

1 dash Angostura® bitters

1 maraschino cherry

1 twist orange peel

2. Party Punch.We believe every party should have a signature drink. Sometimes your friends have no idea what they want. Why waste time deciding when they should be drinking? We suggest a Brandy Punch:

Behind the bar at Foodies' Night In (8/9)

At a local haunt, there's a tradition of ringing an old bell promptly each day at 5p.  The context for the tradition is that when the neighborhood was an old meat-packing district, the locals would listen for the bell to know it was time to join together to raise a glass with good friends and colleagues to toast and give thanks to the completion of another day's work. 

We like the tradition of a cocktail hour - and highlighted it in 10 Trends in Savvy Entertaining.  as a chance to transition from the hectic work day into a more personal mode and lifestyle.  Whether your libation is beer, wine, or mixed cocktail, we think that it's a valuable time of day to take a breath, and to enjoy exchanging a few ideas, swap a few stories and sharing some laughs.

Perfect topic for our friends - old & new - joining Foodies' Night In - It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere - on Monday, 9 August.

This week's Sponsor happens to fit well into our cocktail hour gameplan - Crispin Cider.  We're big fans of cider - and have had the pleasure of enjoying almost all of the Crispin products this summer!  A little about Crispin -

Classically refined, but not styled as a traditional "sweet beer" beer alternative, Crispin ciders are crisp and clean, not sweet and sticky and never sacrifice superior quality refreshment satisfaction for overbearing complexity.  Always true to the apple, Crispin Hard Ciders are naturally fermented using apple juice, never from apple juice concentrate, from a premium blend of US West Coast apples, with no added malt, grape wine or spirit alcohol. Crispin’s unique flavors are smoothed with pure apple juice or from natural sugar sources like oragnic honey or organic maple syrup, and contain no added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives and are filtered cold for crisp refreshment. Crispin ciders are all Gluten Free for the wheat-intolerant person.

We're looking forward to learning more from them about how they enjoy happy hour - and what interesting signature cocktails can be made with cider.

What We're Sipping ~ 6 Wines for HOT Weather

We discovered a few new items to wet your whistle - even share with guests! - this weekend.

As always, we rely on and are indebted to the sage counsel and advice of the ever-present-online wine.com.  We are also thrilled with our adventures into the Whole Foods Top Ten wine picks...have found a few new treasures on our value-quest for wines we love, and can AFFORD.  Especially in the context of entertaining.

Give them both a try on your next wine quest and see if you are much wiser in the wine world ;-)

Meanwhile here are 6 wines that we have diligently sampled and served for your review and consideration...including the foods we're pairing with each.  The wines are listed below with winemaker notes (as available) and/or descriptions from our reliable resources.

The Martini: What Once Was, What Now is, and What Can Be

Kicking off our Savvy Experts in Entertaining series is special guest, Mark Vierthaler of Cocktails, 365.

It's a sexy, slinky black dress.

A smokey saxophone solo.

Steam slowly rising from a city street after a summer rain.

It simply oozes class.

Wait. Scratch that. Oozing is much, much too base for it.

It's the-only-woman-wearing-a-red-dress-at-the-Met-Opera classy. Gorgeous, understated; the cause for many a man's turned head, lingering eye and quickening pulse. It's the Martini. Not an Appletini, not a Super Duper Chocolate Attack Martini.

The Martini. The mother of them all. The classic cocktail that launched a thousand careers and millions of derivatives. This isn't your crazy-crap-on-the-walls restaurant Martini. This is your grandpappy's Martini.

And yet, for something so ubiquitous to the bar scene, the Martini's history is pretty much unknown. It's generally believed that the Martini evolved from an even older cocktail — The Martinez. The Martinez, created 1862, called for 4 parts red sweet Vermouth to 1 part Gin, garnished with a cherry. Make one of these time capsules sometime. I don't think you'll regret it.

From there it was a slow evolution. Eventually, the Martinez evolved into what is now known as the classic Martini. Is it true? No one really knows! Not a shabby story, though!

And a simpler cocktail, you couldn't make.

8 Top Picks to Pour & Sip

With summer in the air, and the grilling game going on, here's a list of 8 refreshments we're pouring with friends, family and whoever else happens to drop by this week...

For each selection, you'll find a review or winemaker description we found useful, followed by what we're pairing in the way of food to serve.  Note that many of the pairings suggested are also listed in this week's Good Food Gatherings, along with their recipes and sources.


(1) Crispin Cider 

Always true to the apple, Crispin Hard Ciders are naturally fermented using apple juice, never from apple juice concentrate, from a premium blend of US West Coast apples, with no added malt, grape wine or spirit alcohol. Crispin’s unique flavors are smoothed with pure apple juice or from natural sugar sources like oragnic honey or organic maple syrup, and contain no added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives and are filtered cold for crisp refreshment.

There's a New Margarita in Town

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, we had to share two margarita creations to expand your fiesta horizons ~ Tamarind and Campari.

See if these don't add a little "OLE" to your evening...

Tamarind Margarita

We've tasted some of the best while on travel in Puerto Vallarta.  This blended, more sour than sweet tasting margarita is now a staple for us.  If you read reviews, there seems to always be the word "complex" in the description of the taste - we would have to agree.

There is something to be said for the fresh tamarind approach, but the Mr. Manish Tamarind paste recommended by "Transcendent Agave Master" works well and is readily available where ever you can buy Mexican, Indian or Asian specialty foods.  If you have the time, it's worth trying the tamarind pulp.

Recipe Ingredients (serves 4)
4 oz tamarind pulp (from a block) OR

3 oz tamarind concentrate or paste (recommend Laxmi brand concentrate or Mr. Manish brand paste)

If using tamarind block - break into small pieces (should yield ~ 1/2 cup packed). Soak in 1 cup boiling water, stirring to break up and soften about 10 minutes.  Strain through sieve, using spatula to force as much pulp as possible. Discard solids.  Cool liquid to room temperature and add as noted.

8 oz. your preferred white tequila

2-3  tablespoons superfine sugar
2 cups ice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice + 2 tablespoons for lining rim

1/4 cup Cointreau (optional)

splash Orange Juice (optional)

Blend tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, sugar, and ice with chilled tamarind pulp (or tamarind concentrate).  If you prefer your margarita on the rocks, skip the blender and use a shaker instead adding the ice to the glasses.  

NOTE: some prefer to add a few tablespoons of orange juice to increase the fruit flavor.

Dip glass rims into reserved lime juice and then into salt garnish.

Garnish

~ 1-2 tablespoons kosher salt mixed with finely grated orange or lime zest & chili powder to taste (recommend a 3:1 ratio of salt to other ingredients)

~ lime wedges

Campari Margarita

Despite our passion for all things Campari, we cannot take any credit for this bittersweet spin off.  

Coincidentally, two favorite sources of cocktail inspiration shared different versions of this margarita which we are thrilled to pass along for you to taste and compare.

The Intoxicologist posted this recipe, as part of the great series of Drink Recipe Cards through Facebook. The Intoxicologist is a favorite Savvy Host source of cocktail intelligence, so when we saw this, taste-testing for today's fiesta was mandatory.  We like including the tequila as a strong balance to the Campari (much like gin with a traditional Negroni).  The Cointreau adds that orange note which is always a winner with Campari and many margaritas.

Our friends at Campari suggest an even more simple approach in their version of this Margarita.  Be sure to test drive their Campari Cocktails How-To video!

Recipe Ingredients

1 part Campari

1 part lime juice and 2 tablespoons for rim garnish (we prefer freshly squeezed)

1/2 part Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)

Ice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, and pour into prepared glasses (see below).

Dip glass rims into reserved lime juice and then into sugar garnish.

Garnish

~ 1-2 tablespoons superfine sugar mixed with finely grated orange or lime zest to taste (recommend a 3:1 ratio of salt to other ingredients)

~ lime or orange wedges

Value Wine Quest:: 12 Rosés Worth Attention

We’re on a quest to compile a solid reference list of $20 and under wines that won’t embarrass a savvy host when entertaining.  While an excellent wine can be worth hundreds of dollars a bottle, this is not a necessary, or even realistic, investment for most events we host. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Nicol Art Photography).

So where to begin?  If you are going to have an intimate gathering with wine aficionados, use the expertise of your local wine merchant to select lesser-known but well-regarded vineyards from the peak wine regions (California, France, and Italy). Delicious alternatives that your guests will enjoy can be found for under $20 – and an added bonus is that such a find will be considered gold to even the most discerning wine zealots.

In light of the spring mood, let’s focus on Rosé wine first.  A little education about this type of wine might be helpful – here’s what our friends at wine.com offer about Rosé.

Wine & Food Matching Made Easy

Don't you love it when someone else figures out the perfect way to handle a situation ~ and they share it with you??

Matching wine and food for entertaining can be a frustrating experience, especially if you don't consider yourself expert in either category.  Do you pick the wine first?  Or do you set the menu and hope you find a proper wine that you can afford?  And, what if you're serving multiple course???

When we're in need of some savvy wine & food pairing information, we're thankful that these resourceful guides ~including interactive web tools, iPhone apps, and printable charts ~ figured out interesting ways to help us navigate wine & menu matching.

Cocktail Trend ~ 3 Tequilas to Sip & Savor

A lesson in tequila courtesy of Joe Jack's Fish Shack in (Viejo) Puerto Vallarta ~ don't miss the opportunity to enjoy some of the freshest seafood in town while there...

Tequila, it turns out, can be as sophisticated as single-malt Scotch or the finest boutique Bourbon.  Too many of us only experience tequila in margaritas (though not a bad introduction) or one-too-many single shots (when the brand or quality only matters for the 1st round..).  Thanks to the well-informed team at Joe Jack's Fish Shack, we learned to appreciate the trend to honor Tequila as a more complex and worldly libation.

Need some further details & context for Tequila?  Los Cabos Magazine's Tequila - A Bit of History is a worthwhile read...

Back to our tasting lesson results, here are three new "amigos" that we sipped and savored ~ each one is 100% agave but differ greatly in taste and style.  As you read our notes, consider whether tequila might play a key role in the bar basics for your next gathering.

8 Steps to Entertaining Success

One of our goals for 2010 is to simplify our entertaining ~ focusing on the essentials ~ so that we have time and sanity left to enjoy our guests ~ and our lives! ~ a bit more.  So where to begin?  All recipes for success begin with the basics.  Here's our shortlist ~ 8 Entertaining Essentials© ~ a few simple ideas to help change your entertaining from stressful to stress-FREE.

(1) Create an occasion to entertain ~ bought a new roasting pan? Throw a dinner party!  Found a great value wine? Buy an extra bottle and invite a few friends to share an impromptu wine & cheese fest.  New restaurant in the neighborhood?  Call your foodie friends and make a date to check it out. Memorable entertaining isn't limited to the formal parties, birthdays, or weddings - though these are always excellent reasons to entertain.  Find an excuse in your daily routine to share some stories and laughter with company.  It can often be these unexpected gatherings are exceptionally enjoyable, and truly memorable!
(2) Invitations Essentials including who to invite and how ~ the party actually begins with the invitation.  It can be as informal as a phone call or email, or as formal as hand-delivered specialty items. The priority is to make sure that the look and feel communicates exactly what you - the host - want to say about your gathering to your guests.  And, of course, to make sure the logistics for the occasion are clearly spelled out.  Be sure to include details like the type of event, the time, the location, a reply date, and any other specifics your think your guests should know (what to wear, what to bring, who else is coming, etc).  As you pull together invitation ideas, make sure to get a handle on who you're inviting and how many guests you can handle.
(3) Bar Basics & Beyond ~ the secret to success with the "bar" is planning, set-up and timing.  Consider what you'd like to offer when guests initially arrive (a perfect time to introduce a "Signature Cocktail" as discussed in a prior post) ~ when the event is in full swing (food pairing is important here) ~ and after the meal (coffee, tea are key at this point if not offered already).  Don't worry about competing with the nightclubs in town in terms of stocking the bar to the brim ~ but plan well to avoid running out in the middle of the evening.  8 Entertaining Essentials© has a planning guide (page 12) that can help out.

(4) Plan a Savvy Menu ~ think of each of these stops of the menu train as possible places to share something special with your guests.  It's not necessary to get off the train at each stop ~ just consider if there is anything at that station to add to the enjoyment of your meal ~ and you'll have a plan for a delicious trip together.
  ~ Nibbles/Hor d'oeuvres
  ~ Starter/Appetizer
  ~ Main/ Éntree
  ~ Side dishes
  ~ Bread
  ~ Salad
  ~ Condiments
  ~ Dessert ~ do you want a light finish or a "pièce de la résistance?" (loosely translated as the best part or feature of a meal ~ a showpiece, or highlight).
Whatever the epicurean journey, try to stay focused on high-quality, fresh ingredients that requires minimal attention from the host or hostess (who will be busy enjoying their guests!).  While some last minute-work is inevitable, we take advantage of whatever we can (advance preparation, ready-to-serve items, kitchen help) to free us up to join the festivities.  More on savvy menus ~ and menu selections guaranteed to please hosts & guests ~ in future posts!

(5) Create Ambiance (or "Ambience" as you prefer ;-) ~ the "little things" do matter in setting a mood and creating a comfortable environment for your gathering.  Key items to consider:   music, lighting, locations & "guest flow", seating, and climate control.

(6) TableTop Style including placesettings, napkins and a centerpiece ~ would you serve a martini in a styrofoam coffee cup? Ever try to slice into a beautifully grilled steak with a plastic knife? Styling a tabletop isn't just about decoration ~ it's equally about function.  The ABC's of TableTop include:

• Accessories - what decorative accessories can be included to accent your theme or the gathering?
• Basics - what basic placesettings (flatware, plates, glassware, napkins) do your guests need to enjoy any food and beverage planned?
• Creativity - what is "on hand" that can serve A & B?  Of course it's always possible to buy everything needed, but we like the creative challenge of repurposing much of what we have first.

Entertaining misses the bulls-eye without an eye to tabletop and presentation. Try thinking about what you'd like to communicate to guests about your gathering, and yourself, in your tabletop style.

(7) Serving Savoir-Faire ~ serving style relies on how you, the host, want the event to "flow".  If we're limited by space with a large cocktail party, we might opt for a counter-top buffet with guests eating and drinking on the go.  If the evening is a group of friends gathering to catch-up, we might choose a "family style", all-at-once serving style seated around a table.  If we're entertaining business colleagues, perhaps a more formal table with plated food served to each guest. Flow is important to consider so that you know which serving utensils, trays, platters, bowls, etc. are needed. 

(8) Prep-work Behind the Scenes ~ yes, a clean house is an important "to-do" when you're hosting guests (we're certain Mom is reading this somewhere ;-) but let's assume we all understand that point.  There are a few other items we suggest are easier to consider before the guests arrive: 

• Parking ~ don't want the guests to be aggravated and late due to parking problems ~ consider options for their cars prior to if possible; 
• Coats ~ where will all the coats fit and be easily accessed when it's time to leave?; 
• Weather ~ for outdoor events it's a good idea to have a contingency plan in case of rain; for winter gatherings factor in arrival delays or early departures if road conditions are icy; 
• Bathroom necessities ~ stock enough t.p., hand soap, tissues, and guest towels ~ we add a scented candle; and
• Dishwashing ~ an organized plan of action to deal with the load of dishes BEFORE they're stacked in the sink saves some sanity. 

Whew ~ think we covered most of it.  Overwhelmed a little?  Don't be! Keep in mind that entertaining is no more than an opportunity to share life - guests may be close friends, new acquaintances, family, or business colleagues - there can 2 or 20 - at a table or around a bar - but the goal is the same...to share life.  This is the goal for the gathering and for you as the host.

The savvy hosts we admire the most clearly embrace this idea as essential to their entertaining.  To this stock they add a little planning, confidence, inspiration and creativity to flavor their gatherings.  And, don't forget a healthy helping of your sense of humor - no matter what planning you've done, it will help you manage the unexpected throughout the evening.

So, we've offered some of our tips for entertaining success ~ but we're interested in the what tricks other savvy hosts have up their sleeves!  

Please share your thoughts with us!

And, borrowing the words of a truly savvy hostess, "Bon Appetit"!

Bar Basics ~ Creating Your Signature Cocktail

To enhance an entertaining occasion, consider introducing a signature cocktail. Whether this drink is your “house specialty” or something tied to the theme of your event or menu, signature cocktails can hallmark your gathering at the get-go.

Want to be creative?  Think color, country of origin, what might complement the food, and/or the ability to go non-alcoholic ~ these guidelines help to channel your cocktail creativity into results just right for your event. 

Looking for a place to start?  Here’s our starter list of classic libations we consider perfect options for a "signature" cocktail for your next gathering.  Easy to make ~ definitely easy to drink ~ we think these are classic cocktail fun.  Consider tweaking these to your own tastes and preferences with specific brands, varying juices, unique garnishes, or whatever your style might dictate!  And, if a Mocktail is more appropriate to your gathering, don’t miss Mocktail Mondays with our favorite Intoxicologist for creative non-alcoholic options.

• Bellini - 1 oz. pureed peaches, 1/4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, sparkling wine or champagne.  Pour puree and lemon juice in bottom of flute. Add sparkling wine to taste. Stir and garnish with a peach slice.
• Cosmopolitan (traditional) ~ 3 parts Vodka, ½ part Triple Sec, ½ part fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 part Raspberry-infused sugar syrup. Combine in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, strain and serve in a martini glass.  Try variations on this classic from The Intoxicologist… 
• Kir - Dry White Wine in a wine glass.  Add 1/4 oz. Cassis (for Royale) or Framboise (for Imperiale). Garnish with a lemon peel. 
• Kir Royale/Imperiale - Champagne or sparking wine in a flute, add 1/4 oz. Cassis (for Royale) or Framboise (for Imperiale). Garnish with a lemon peel.
• Long Island Ice Tea - ½ oz. Gin, ½ oz. Vodka, ½ oz. Rum, ½ oz Triple Sec, 3 oz. sweet & sour mix.  Add ingredients in the order listed over a tall glass of ice.  Top off with cola to taste. Garnish with a lemon slice.
• Manhattan - 1.5 parts top quality Bourbon, .5 parts Sweet Vermouth, 1 tsp maraschino cherry juice, cherries to garnish. Fill shaker w/ice add liquid ingredients. Shake, strain, and serve. Garnish with a cherry.
• Martini – (vodka or gin ~ dry or dirty ~ fruit flavored, coffee/chocolate enhanced...) for the basics, start with excellent vodka or gin, Dry Vermouth, and add either lemon twists, wedges, olives (blue cheese, or...).  Be sure to take note of how “dry” your guests prefer their martinis…
• Margarita - 2 oz. excellent tequila, 1 oz Grand Marnier, 1 oz fresh lime juice. Combine ingredients in shaker over ice - or blend. Garnish with a salt rim and lime wedge.
• Mojito - 2 oz. Light Rum, 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice, 1 oz. simple syrup, 8-10 mint leaves, Club Soda.  Add a mint sprig garnish.
• Old Fashioned - fill glass with ice, stir in favorite scotch whisky for several minutes. Add a dash of bitters, sugar. Stir again, and then serve.
• Negroni - 1 oz. Gin, 1 oz. Campari, 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth, orange twist for garnish. Fill glass with ice. Add liquid ingredients. Garnish with orange twist.
• Screwdriver – 2 parts Vodka, 4-5 parts fresh citrus juice (try other citrus blends such as tangerine if you’re in the mood!). Fill glass with ice. Add liquid ingredients. Garnish with citrus.
• Tequila Sunrise - 1 ½ oz. Tequila, 4-5 oz. fresh orange juice, grenadine, orange twist for garnish. Fill glass with ice. Add tequila and juice, top with grenadine to taste. Garnish with orange twist.

A closing savvy tip ~ we rely on these savvy sources not only for the cocktail recipes above but for all of our Bar Basics 411!!

The Intoxicologist

Food Network – Cocktails 

Epicurious – Drink Recipes

Cheers!

Signature Cocktails & Campari

To enhance a dinner gathering, cocktail party or any other event, we like the idea of introducing a "signature cocktail". Whether this is your house specialty or something tied to the theme of your event, signature cocktails can be a great way to emphasize the occasion.

For a recent late summer dinner, we wanted to offer a refreshing aperitif when the 12-14 guests arrived from afternoon golf. Not having a professional bartender in our house (though a few may pretend), we rely on Instant Bartender for the recipe for just about any cocktail, shot, punch, or frozen drink you might want as a signature cocktail.

The crowd - and in particular the host - liked Campari (not everyone does ;-). Campari, a type of bitters, is an alcoholic aperitif (alcohol varies from 20.5% to 28% depending on where it's purchased country) obtained from the infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit in alcohol and water. Another favorite go-to resource for libation inspiration is The Intoxicologist, who's recent post "Escape to the Italian Seaside with Campari Summer Cocktails" offers the quintessential discussion of the merits of drinking Campari.

With Campari as the lead in our signature cocktail effort, we took a look on Instant Bartender, and found inspiration for our signature drink.

Goodnight Kiss (courtesy of Instant Bartender)
4 oz. Champagne (Prosecco or Cava are easy on the budget and work just as well).
1 splash Campari
1 cube sugar (we opted to use Agave Nectar instead)
1 drop Angostura bitters
Orange twist (optional)

Put one drop of Angostura Bitter on sugar cube and drop in flute. Add champagne and splash of Campari.

The slight effervescence - coupled with the deep red of the Campari - made for a perfect complement to the sunset welcome. We added an orange twist for a bit of citrus and color.

Of course, we looked to savvyhostmarket for an interesting approach to serving this signature cocktail in the informal, al fresco environment. We chose to forego traditional champagne flutes - too delicate for this occasion - and opted instead to use the Salzburg Aperitif Glasses in frosty White . An elegant combination that played up the colorful Campari.

To select a signature cocktail for your next party, think color - cuisine - culture - and the theme or context for the gathering to help you choose. And don't forget your friendly Instant Bartender is only a click away with inspiration...